Semiconductor devices are subjected to a series of test procedures in order to assure quality and reliability. This testing procedure conventionally includes "probe testing", in which individual dice, while still on a wafer, are initially tested to determine functionality and speed. Probe cards are used to electrically test die at that level. The electrical connection interfaces with only a single die at a time in wafer; not discrete die.
If the wafer has a yield of functional dice which indicates that quality of the functional dice is likely to be good, each individual die is assembled in a package to form a semiconductor device. Conventionally, the packaging includes a lead frame and a plastic or ceramic housing.
The packaged devices are then subjected to another series of tests, which include burn-in and discrete testing. Discrete testing permits the devices to be tested for speed and for errors which may occur after assembly and after burn-in. Burn-in accelerates failure mechanisms by electrically exercising the devices (UUT) at elevated temperatures, thus eliminating potential failures which would not otherwise be apparent at nominal test conditions.
Variations on these procedures permit devices assembled onto circuit arrangements, such as memory boards, to be burned-in, along with the memory board in order to assure reliability of the circuit, as populated with devices. This closed assembly testing assumes that the devices are discretely packaged in order that it can then be performed more readily.
It is proposed that multiple integrated circuit devices be packaged as a single unit. This can be accomplished with or without conventional lead frames. This creates two problems for being conventional test methods. Firstly, discrete testing is more difficult because the conventional lead frame package is not used. Furthermore, when multiple devices are assembled into a single package, the performance of the package is reduced to that of the die with the lowest performance. In other words, the ability to presort the individual dice is limited that obtained through probe testing. Secondly, the packaging may have other limitations which are aggravated by burn-in stress conditions so that the packaging becomes a limitation for burn-in testing.
A form of hybrid integrated circuit incorporates a plurality of dice in a single package. This increases density of packaging and permits matched components on different dice to be packaged as a single part. The yield rate of such an assembly is likely to be at least a multiple of the yield rates of its component dice. As mentioned, if performance of the dice is factored in, the yield is likely to become significantly lower than the multiple of the component yield rates.
On the other hand, if the test results of burned in dice are available, the component yield rates can be increased. It is further possible to match components by matching various characterizations (such as signal timing and response times), thereby providing more margin for proper response.
Such hybrid integrated circuits, as well as other configurations establish a need for burned in semiconductor dice. Ideally, it would be desirable to permit testing of individual dice in a manner similar to that accomplished with discrete packaged semiconductor devices.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,107, commonly assigned, a reusable burn-in/test fixture for discrete TAB die is provided. The fixture consists of two halves, one of which is a die cavity plate for receiving semiconductor dice as the units under test (UUT); and the other half establishes electrical contact with the dice and with a burn-in oven.
The first half of the test fixture contains cavities in which die are inserted circuit side up. The die will rest on a floating platform. The second half has a rigid high temperature rated substrate, on which are mounted probes for each corresponding die pad. Each of a plurality of probes is connected to an electrical trace on the substrate (similar to a P.C. board) so that each die pad of each die is electrically isolated from one another for high speed functional testing purposes. The probe tips are arranged in an array to accommodate eight or sixteen dice.
The two halves of the test fixture are joined so that each pad on each die aligns with a corresponding probe tip. The test fixture is configured to house groups of 8 or 16 die for maximum efficiency of the functional testers.
There are some testing and related procedures when the parts are singulated. For this reason, it is inconvenient to retain multiple die in a single test fixture.
TAB tape is normally bonded at bondpads in order to establish electrical connections which exhibits long term reliability without requiring that external pressure be applied to the assembly. The bonding of the TAB tape establishes a mechanical connection which can cause the bond pads to lift off of (become detached from) the die when the TAB tape is removed.
The bondpads are conductive areas on the face of the die which are used as an interconnect for connecting the circuitry on the die to the outside world. Normally, conductors are bonded to the bondpads, but it is possible to establish electrical contact through the bondpads by biasing conductors against the bondpads without actual bonding.